First National Weather Service Tornado Alert For North Texas Of The New Year

My mom called me while I was on the way to the library to tell me she'd mailed me something to my P.O. Box. She also told me they'd had a good rainstorm in Phoenix with a much bigger one on its way, which my baby brother had driven through on his way back to Phoenix from San Diego.

I told mom all I've got happening, here, is some big drops hitting the windshield.

And then I got back here to find WeatherBug chirping with the National Weather Service's first Tornado Alert of the new year for North Texas. It sounds like this might be a BIG one. Hail 2 inches in diameter, Thunderstorm wind gusts to 70 mph. Heavy duty Lightning. And I suppose a chance of flash flooding.

I should alert the Haltom City creek monitor about fresh incoming, but I don't want to alarm her. She's had a rough enough week already.

Below is the National Weather Service Tornado Alert for North Texas....

THE NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WATCH UNTIL 10:00PM CST
Sel2
spc Ww 202157

Urgent - Immediate Broadcast Requested
Tornado Watch Number 2
Nws Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
355 PM CST Wed Jan 20 2010

The Nws Storm Prediction Center Has Issued A Tornado Watch For Portions Of Extreme Southwest Arkansas South Central And Southeast Oklahoma North Central And Northeast Texas

Effective This Wednesday Afternoon And Evening From 355 PM Until 1000 PM CST.

Tornadoes, Hail To 2 Inches In Diameter, Thunderstorm Wind Gusts To 70 Mph, And Dangerous Lightning Are Possible In These Areas.

The Tornado Watch Area Is Approximately Along And 80 Statute Miles North And South Of A Line From 40 Miles West Northwest Of Fort Worth Texas To 10 Miles South Of Texarkana Arkansas. For A Complete Depiction Of The Watch See The Associated Watch Outline Update

Remember, A Tornado Watch Means Conditions Are Favorable For Tornadoes And Severe Thunderstorms In And Close To The Watch Area. Persons In These Areas Should Be On The Lookout For Threatening Weather Conditions And Listen For Later Statements And Possible Warnings.

Discussion, Thunderstorms Are Expected To Develop And Intensify Across Part Of North Central TX/South Central OK Along Warm Front In Response To Increasing Dynamic Forcing For Ascent Associated With Strong Upper Trough Approaching From The West. Relatively Steep Lapse Rates Above Moist Pbl Are Contributing To Unstable Environment With Mlcape Of 1000-1500 J/Kg. Effective Bulk Shear Currently In The 35-45 Kt Range Is Supportive Of Supercell Development, And Low Lcl Heights And Sufficient Low Level Shear/Srh Will Enhance Threat For A Few Tornadoes With Discrete Cells That Form.

Aviation, Tornadoes And A Few Severe Thunderstorms With Hail Surface And Aloft To 2 Inches. Extreme Turbulence And Surface Wind Gusts To 60 Knots. A Few Cumulonimbi With Maximum Tops To 450. Mean Storm Motion Vector 25035.